Why were the poets of the San Francisco Renaissance attracted to Zen Buddhism? What does Zen offer that is not found in the Judeo-Christian tradition?

What is poetry for? What is the role of poetry in America today? Does poetry fulfill any useful function in society?

Write a poem with varying line lengths and varying placement of the lines on the page; that is, do not use straight left-hand margins. Try to ensure that line breaks and line placements are not arbitrary but are necessary for the effectiveness of the poem. In what ways would your poem differ if it had straight left-hand margins?

Write a poem that starts with a description of a landscape, moves on to your own thoughts as they arise, and ends with an unexpected perception or realization. Try not to force it, just let the thoughts flow...